Wolfpack Takes Down #2 Clemson 11-8 on Friday

Friday, April 12

Clemson, S.C.

6 p.m.

NC State

19-12, 9-7

Clemson

28-5, 10-3

NC State

Clemson

Photo by: Charles Mays

4/12/2024 9:52:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

CLEMSON, S.C. – The NC State baseball team opened its series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium with an 11-8 victory over No. 2 Clemson.

NC State (19-12, 9-7 ACC) snapped a five-game losing streak with its first win over a top-five opponent since May 25, 2022, when the Wolfpack defeated No. 5 Miami 9-6 in the ACC Tournament. The Wolfpack has won six of its past seven games over Clemson (28-5, 10-3 ACC) at the Tigers' home ballpark.

Josh Hogue set the tone with a first-inning homer, giving the Wolfpack an early 1-0 lead. Hogue belted his third homer of the season beyond the outfield seats in right-center to plate the first of 10 runs scored with two outs in the Wolfpack's win over the second-ranked Tigers.

Clemson answered Hogue's solo shot when left fielder Will Taylor smacked a two-run homer in the bottom of the first. Taylor's two-run shot pushed the Tigers ahead for the first time Friday night at 2-1.

The Wolfpack jumped back in front behind a four-run fourth to establish a three-run cushion at 5-2. Jacob Cozart's RBI groundout tied the score at 2-2, putting two outs in the frame and advancing Hogue to third base. Brandon Butterworth kept the rally alive with a four-pitch walk before Eli Serrano III doubled off the base of the wall in right-center to plate two runs, giving the Pack a 4-2 advantage. Drew Lanphere capped off the four-run frame with an RBI single to center field to score Serrano III from second base.

Clemson first baseman Jimmy Obertop sliced the Tigers' deficit to one with Clemson's second two-run homer of the night. Obertop's two-run homer cut the Pack's lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth before Taylor's two-RBI single vaulted the Tigers back in front at 6-5.

NC State capitalized on a throwing error from Wright to post its second straight four-run frame in the top of the fifth, flipping a 6-5 deficit into a 9-6 lead. Wright's errant throw allowed Hogue and Alec Makarewicz to score before Serrano III singled up the middle for his second two-out, two-RBI base hit in as many innings to make it 9-6 Wolfpack.

Wright homered on the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth to make it 9-7. Nolan Nawrocki's RBI groundout then trimmed the Wolfpack's lead to 9-8. Wolfpack reliever Shane Van Dam ended the Clemson threat in the inning with his third strikeout of the night.

Van Dam struck out a career-high eight batters in relief of Wolfpack starting pitcher Sam Highfill, posting three straight scoreless frames from the sixth through the eighth to keep NC State ahead. Van Dam struck out all three batters in the sixth to maintain the Pack's one-run lead before retiring the Tigers in order in the seventh. He then tallied his eighth and final strikeout of the night to end the eighth inning.

The Wolfpack added to its lead in the eighth when Makarewicz dropped in a two-out RBI single into shallow left field. Makarewicz's 46^th RBI of the season made it 10-8 Wolfpack. Luke Nixon again did damage for the Wolfpack with two outs in the ninth, lining an RBI single to give NC State an 11-8 lead heading to the bottom of the ninth.

After the first two Clemson batters reached in the bottom of the ninth, right-hander Derrick Smith entered for the Wolfpack and retired three straight Tigers to secure the win for NC State. Matt Heavner, who also entered the game in the ninth, snared the final ground ball and tapped second base for the final out of Friday's game.

Van Dam improved to 4-0 on the season after tossing 4.2 innings, allowing just one earned run with eight strikeouts. Smith posted his second save after recording the final three outs.

Clemson reliever Rocco Reid (2-1) suffered the loss for Clemson on Friday night.

Serrano III, Makarewicz and Hogue each tallied multi-hit performances, while Hogue paced the team with three runs scored.

UP NEXT
NC State and Clemson face off on national television Saturday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Game two of this weekend's series is set for 8 p.m. and will be televised on ACC Network.